Polak back as Maple Leafs work out kinks against Kings

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TORONTO — The defence got meaner and the roster got leaner as the Maple Leafs completed a series of personnel moves Monday morning.

Roman Polak, resigned the day before, was activated, partnering Andreas Borgman on the blue line against the visiting Los Angeles Kings.

That was preceded by Borgman’s fellow rookie Swede, Calle Rosen, getting demoted to the Toronto Marlies.

When noon rolled around, the Leafs placed fourth-line centre Eric Fehr on waivers, a prelude to dropping him to the AHL and perhaps recalling a forward from the Marlies. Fehr had been alternating with Dominic Moore in the lineup, but Babcock hinted strongly last week the time had come for people to start holding jobs.

Winger Josh Leivo is the only player on the NHL roster yet to play a game.

An ugly loss in Ottawa seemed to spur Babcock and general manager Lou Lamoriello into action. Polak, who broke his leg in the playoffs and entered camp on a PTO contract, was signed Sunday to a one-year, $1.1 million US contract.

“We’re not big on the back end, we’re not heavy on the back, we’re not mean back there,” Babcock said of substituting the bulky Polak for the more skill-oriented Rosen. “Whether you are (Connor) Carrick, Rosen or Borgman, when you stand next to Polak and (veteran) Ron Hainsey and someone tells you what to do every second you’re on the ice, it’s just a comforting feeling and it makes you a better player.

“The other thing is that Nikita Zaitsev is not a monster of a man. If we get (the second-year Russian defenceman’s) minutes up too high, he’s going to get hurt. If you keep playing the same guys, they’ll get worn down and then they’re not playing. That was part of the concern.”

Polak, 31, was allowed to stay at the conclusion of camp and practice regularly as insurance. Babcock thinks Polak would be a great mentor for Borgman, who shares a strong upper-body build.

“We’ll see what happens,” Polak said. “He’s still young, he’s still learning, so he needs to be talked to a lot. It looks like he can be a great hockey player.”

Fehr was coming back from a badly broken finger in his first and only game as a Leaf last season.

A big body and valued penalty killer, it was nonetheless redundant to have him and Moore at the same position, as they traded places each game. Moore scored twice in his four starts, Fehr had no points in the same time frame.

Fehr, who has a year to go on a $2 million deal, will find out at noon Tuesday if he’s claimed.